Boys shot in Mzuzu for attempting to steal MTL cables

Police in Mzuzu have charged two boys both 14 years old of an offence of attempt theft after they were caught and shot by two Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) guards in the early morning hours of Wednesday trying to steal telephone line cables at MTL offices in the city.

The suspects Madalitso Banda and Yamikani Mshani both from Masasa village Traditional Authority Kabunduli in Nkhata-bay district are expected to appear before court soon to answer theft charges.

Mzuzu Police Public Relations Officer Sergeant Morris Chapola told Nyasa Times that during the night hours of Wednesday, around 10 pm the two boys’ sneaked into MTL compound with an intention to steal the telephone line cables.

Shoot

“It is alleged that in the course of trying to steal the cables, the two MTL guards who were manning the place shot the two suspects using what they call green rifles popularly known as pump cans and are mostly used for hunting wild birds,” he said.

Chapola expressed that by the time the police arrived on the scene of the incident they found the suspects who had just been shot by the guards and they rushed them to the Mzuzu Central Hospital where they were treated as out patients.

According to Mzuzu Police Public Relations Officer the offence is contrary to section 278 of the penal code and attracts a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment with hard labor.

The suspects are yet to appear before court to answer the charge of an attempt theft.

Police have however advised parents to take good care of their children and monitor their movements so that such cases are brought to an end.

The law enforcers have also disclosed that they are in the course of investigating what might have prompted the teenagers to steal the cables.